Overview

• Maine's new license plate design replaces the chickadee image with a tall green pine and the North Star, reflecting the state's first official flag from 1901.
• The chickadee design, introduced in 1999, is being retired due to peeling and delamination issues, citing public safety concerns.
• Secretary of State Shenna Bellows highlighted the new design's popularity and its nod to historical significance.
• Maine residents will have the opportunity to vote on adopting a similar design for a new state flag in November.
• The rekindled interest in Maine's first official flag, used for eight years before being replaced, coincided with the state's bicentennial in 2020.